The invention relates to a device for holding a beverage container and the like which may be secured at a convenient location within an interior of the automobile.
Prior beverage and accessory holding devices have been provided. U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,986 discloses a beverage receptacle holder for use in vehicles having a mount which includes a part which fits within the vehicle's cigarette lighter socket and a stabilizing part which contacts the vehicle dash board. The construction requires complicated adjustment rendering the holder expensive to manufacture and relatively complicated to use. U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,923 discloses a beverage holding device having a clip which may be fastened to an ashtray or other surface in the passenger compartment. The design is suitable mainly for only a single beverage container. U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,174 discloses a snack tray for an automobile which is slidably mounted within a slot formed in a dashboard of a vehicle. This construction does not readily permit adapting the device to mounting in the vehicle. A slot has to be cut in the dashboard either during manufacture of the vehicle or afterwards. U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,843 discloses a beverage holder which attaches to a vehicle heating and cooling vent. This allows the beverage to be cooled in the summer and warmed in the winter. However, the location of the heating and cooling vents is not always convenient or practical for attachment of such a beverage holder.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a device for holding a beverage container and the like accessory within the interior of an automobile passenger compartment in a simple and convenient manner.
Another object of the invention is to provide a holder device for a beverage container and the like accessory within an interior of an automobile which can be easily mounted at a convenient location and easily reachable by a driver and passenger for use.
Another object of the invention is to provide a holder device for a beverage container and the like accessory within an interior of an automobile which can hold a plurality of beverage containers and may be readily adapted for mounting to a convenient location in the interior which may be easily reached by a driver or passenger.
Another object of the invention is to provide a holder device for a beverage container and the like accessory within an interior of an automobile which may be readily adapted to mounting in an ashtray socket in the interior of the automobile in a convenient and stable manner for holding the containers in a substantially horizontal position.